C'mon media, give Ryan Newman a break!

Ryan Newman 

One week ago, Ryan Newman beat Jimmy Johnson to the checkered flag. The media seemed to roll all over itself with glee at the possibility that Newman could perform such an awesome feat. That just shows how little they know about him. Perhaps if they weren't so busy fawning all over Johnson, Danica, and Junior, they might notice the effort made by some of the other drivers.

I'm here to tell you, that it was not a colossal feat that Newman won the prestigious Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis last week. For those of us that follow his career, we know that it was just a matter of time before he bested the field. We were pleased as punch, though not surprised at all. Newman has far more talent than anyone in the broadcasting booth apparently recognizes.

That said, it was wonderful to finally watch the media not ignore Newman, which is usually the case, or worst yet, accentuate instances like his dust-up with Kyle Busch recently when Busch called Newman an ogre. Often times Newman is involved in a racing incident that is not of his making. The media is quick to assign blame only to clarify it later after the damage has been done.

Their latest harangue is about Newman being congratulated by well-wishers, but receiving no sponsorship offers. Oh please! This is barely August. There is lots of racing to go. Anyone who thinks potential sponsors are going to call Newman on the phone to play 'let's make a deal' in the middle of the racing season is fooling themselves. Any deals will be made among the driver, a potential team, and the sponsor's go-to guy, will take place long before it is ever made public. Give the guy a break for pete's sake. Let him enjoy his win and work on the next one before adding to the pressure of a very pressured situation. Newman is thoroughly engaged in the 2013 racing season. That has to be his priority for now.

Offers will come when the time is right. Ryan Newman will be just fine. He is a talented driver, even when the media doesn't notice.

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Race day must overcome crash coverage

Race day is finally here, as we anticipate the 55th running of the Daytona 500, but because of the horrific accident at the conclusion of yesterday's Nationwide race where nearly 30 spectators were injured by flying car parts and other debris in a last lap crash, every effort is being made to tear away any dark curtain over today's event. 

Despite yesterday's incident, today is a new day. It is exciting to realize the seemingly endless off-season for NASCAR's Sprint Cup series is finally over. There will be no more counting down to the Daytona 500. TODAY IS THE DAY! The race will run in just a few hours. 

The excitement is palpable, despite yesterday's horror, the fans involved in the melee are receiving the best care possible, drivers are uninjured, and NASCAR is trying to move on. 

The accident itself was very troubling because it is so easy to imagine what it was like to be in the stands as fans enjoyed the final laps of an exciting race. In an instant lives were changed. There will likely be other changes that grow out of this event--additional safety features perhaps--but those will remain to be seen. 

It bears stating that this was an accident, an unpredictable moment in time that could not have been prevented. There is no question that NASCAR is cognizant of the safety issues associated with driving cars at speeds often times in excess of 200 mph. NASCAR has taken as many precautions to protect everyone associated with the sport--both drivers and spectators. The fact that those drivers involved in the melee emerged from their destroyed race cars unhurt is a testament to that. 

I was impressed with how several people have reacted to this event. 

First, when Tony Stewart won the race, his reaction in victory lane couldn't have been more correct. He was soft-spoken, thoughtful, and despite his excitement at winning the race, he shoved that emotion into the shadow in favor of the obviously injured spectators. Stewart's reaction was as an appropriate champion of the sport. 

Another reaction that was laudable was that of Kyle Petty. Petty is a NASCAR commentator and spokesman. He is in my view, one of the best. He is honest, truthful, and pulls no punches. Petty pointed out that drivers are aware of the risk they take when they put on a helmet and climb into their race car, but spectators shouldn't be at risk when they come to a race. He indicated that fans should feel safe when they sit in the stands and prepare to enjoy a race. In my view, Petty is such a class act. I believe he is one of the finest spokespersons for the sport.

As the day wore on and videotapes of the incident became available, I couldn't help but notice the quick reactions of both spectators and track personnel when it was realized there were injuries. There were heroes in the stands and heroes that work at the track. 

I can't help but question NASCAR's official reaction. While it is appropriate to report news in a timely manner, so as to make certain facts are provable, and correct, NASCAR takes that a step too far. They attempt to control the news.

As an organization, NASCAR's priority appears to be to protect its brand rather than to allow the news media to do its job to report news. This fits with NASCAR's attempts to direct every aspect of the public's perception of motor sport racing. It was very disturbing to learn that NASCAR attempted to censor fan videos of the accident, requesting You Tube to remove them from public view. NASCAR claimed it was a copyright infringement. Later, it was stated that it was to protect those involved.

NASCAR officials need to realize that this is the 21st century when citizen journalists and fans with cell phone cameras fill the stands. Their efforts to censor such events will never occur. They have much to be proud of, so there is no danger in resting on their laurels. 

In my view, not only does NASCAR need to continue to work on safety issues, and other things under their control, they need to work on their own attitudes. 

Buzz over Danica Patrick; I called it a year ago

Danica Patrick at the premiere of Baby Mama in New York City at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Where Danica Patrick is concerned, I'm proud to say I called it last year around this time.

I wrote in this very blog about Danica's potential in NASCAR. In fact, just type her name into the search box to find several posts about her. Who knew though that she would earn the pole position during qualifying for the sport's biggest race of the year in her first full time Sprint Cup Series debut? It will really be fun to watch Danica perform in the Daytona 500 Sunday, as she leads the field to the green.

In fact, it will be really fun to be back to watching racing on a regular basis again.

For me, as a Ryan Newman fan, Saturday's Sprint Unlimited almost didn't count. For me, the racing season officially starts on Thursday when I can enjoy Newman again racing competitively in the Duels, the pair of qualifying races for Sunday's Daytona 500.

Newman wasn't among the race participants in this year's event to honor pole winners from 2012. That in itself is weird since Newman normally has a real penchant for winning poles. I do expect that to turn around during this season. Being back with Matt Borland, I am not sure how they could miss.

nascar (Photo credit: rogerblake2)

I'm really pumped because we just purchased our first flat screen HD television. Racing will be more exciting than ever before, as are all things TV.

Watching qualifying was pretty exciting, not just because Danica got the pole, but because at one point Stewart-Haas Racing held first, second, and third in fastest speeds with Newman and Tony Stewart right behind her. That later changed, though I didn't watch after Newman's run, I found 'other things' to do Saturday. That may be the last time 'other things' will come into play during qualifying and racing this season.

Newman's second spot and Tony Stewart's third were eked out by Jeff Gordon and Trevor Bain, but Danica of course held her first place. Newman earned fourth fastest and Tony Stewart ran fifth; That is a good way to start out the season. So, as the gentlemen and lady start their engines, I can't wait to watch.

Ryan, Krissie Newman have second child

MARTINSVILLE, VA - APRIL 03: Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 car, stands with wife Krissie and their daughter Brooklyn Sage Newman on the grid prior to the start of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Race. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Congratulations to NASCAR race car driver Ryan Newman and his wife Krissie on the birth of their second child, a daughter.

Ashlyn Olivia Newman was born in the afternoon Monday, July 16 just after her daddy raced his way to the Top 10 at New Hampshire the day before. Ashlyn has a big sister. Brooklyn Sage, the Newman's first child is just 20 months older than the baby.

Ashlyn's birth came just eight days after Kevin and DeLana Harvick had their first child, baby boy Keelan Paul Harvick.

Almost as if there was a pro-ordained schedule, neither driver--Newman nor Harvick--missed a step in the busy NASCAR race schedule. Newman had an especially busy week in New Hampshire, as he raced Saturday in the Whelen Series and in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series Sunday. Practice and qualifying filled any gaps in his busy schedule.

Race fans who follow Twitter on race day were well aware of both ladies' pregnancies, as DeLana and Krissie are both avid tweeters. They keep race  fans on top of the action on the track. At times, the two who are personal friends, they often shared messages with each other.

Congratulations to both the Newmans and the Harvicks.

Junior won at Michigan; he won it for himself, not for his father

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on pit road

Congratulations to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for his win at Michigan International Speedway Sunday. He drove a good race, led plenty of laps, and held off Champion Tony Stewart for the win.

A Dale Earnhardt Jr. autograph (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Maybe now everyone will get off Junior's back and leave the poor guy alone. I have for some time, felt sorry for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. In all the years I've watched NASCAR, and I admit I'm a newbie by most standards, at only eight years, but I have yet to see Junior live up to the enormous expectations and hype laid upon his head by fans, the pundits, and NASCAR brass. I'm not sure anyone could live up to that, (except maybe for Tony Stewart's herculean performance last year, when he won five out of ten races.)

So much pressure has been put on Junior that it has obviously had a negative effect. His name is evoked by announcers dozens of times during every race, pre-race, or post-race show, no matter what he does. Clearly, evoking Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s name is a mandate by NASCAR itself, since as a fan favorite, to NASCAR, that translates into dollars.

No matter what Junior does on the track, his name is mentioned--a lot! Excuses are made for his doing things like driving by his pit stall or making some other boneheaded move that only a rookie would make. After a few of those, the hype seemed to tone down a little. That all changed with Junior's latest run of obvious good luck. Junior has been running well, leading laps and being consistent enough to earn points. Finally NASCAR is getting what it wants. Maybe they will back off a little now that Junior has won a race.

Who am I kidding? They will never leave him alone. Now we will be hearing, and it has already begun, Junior can be the champion. There will likely be more pressure on him to not just win again, but to lead the points battle now and during the Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship. Yes, Junior has a big fan base, so he is NASCAR's favorite son. Let's face it--as the son of the late Big E, Junior will never be left alone to be his own person.

Not only does that affect him, but it also affects the other 42 drivers who are unable to compete on a level racetrack, so to speak. And it is so unfair to those of us who are not card-carrying members of Junior Nation.

We are called haters. We are not haters. We are just not blinded by the BS.

Funny, Junior's big win came on Father's Day, yet I didn't hear anything in post race interviews with Junior about winning this one for his father's memory, except by the media. It seems clear to me that Junior is very uncomfortable with the position he has been put into--living in his father's shadow. It has obviously been very difficult for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to live up to they hype. It would be difficult for anyone. I'd love it if they would leave him alone, for his sake as well as ours.

Ryan Newman comes from behind to win at Martinsville

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife

 (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Ryan Newman added the exclamation point at the end of the Goody's Fast Relief 500 NASCAR race Sunday at Martinsville. 

It was an up and down day for Newman. It started on an up note with a decent qualifying effort. More importantly it ended even higher--with celebratory burnouts just before pulling into Victory Lane. The down side was in the middle.

Newman started the race in the third row after a decent qualifying effort. He had a fast race car that hovered in the top 10 during the first 100 laps. Then, after a caution was brought out by Kyle Busch, Newman sped down pit road, just about 2 miles per hour faster than allowed. The resulting  drive-through penalty put him back into the 21st position. He eventually went a lap down, but fought back handily. 

Newman never gives up. 

He eventually got his lap back and made his way back into the top 10. It looked like a good points day and a good finish until all hell broke loose in the last few laps. This is the point in the race where I always hold my breath. Anything can happen and usually does. 

The caution came out with a handful of laps left in the race when David Reutimann's car stopped in the middle of the track just past pit road. Reutimann was hastily and harshly criticized for not bringing the car down to pit road. No one was harder on him than he was on himself, however. He explained that he wanted to finish the race to stay in the top 35 in points. He shares the ride with Danica Patrick. Staying in the top 35 in owner points gives her an automatic starting spot in the select races she has decided to run this season in the Sprint Cup series. 

So, in what appeared to be the final restart, Newman was behind Clint Bowyer who tried to sneak past leaders Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Newman had told Crew Chief Tony Gibson before the restart that he was going for it. And that is exactly what he did. 

The two Hendrick cars had  more than 100 laps on their tires. They chose track position over pitting for fresh tires. Who can blame them? But, they knew they would be sitting ducks on the restart. From what I could see on the video, http://www.nascar.com/video/post-race/highlights/120401/cup-mar-high-four/index.html?MostPopular,  Bowyer, who had fresh tires was faster than Johnson and Gordon. Bowyer  came up on Gordon too fast so Bowyer swerved to the bottom. At the same time Brad Kezelowski who was faster than Johnson, ran into him. Johnson came down into Gordon's right side while Bowyer hit Gordon on the left. At about the same time Bowyer moved down to the inside, so did Newman, resulting in that tap into Bowyer. There just wasn't room for the three cars, so they all came together. 

While the three were wrecking, collecting Kezelowski in the process, with barely enough room, Newman just sneaked right past them all. 

The final restart saw a race between Newman and A.J. Almandinger. The two raced for the win, as Newman pulled ahead when it counted most. 

It was a beautiful thing to watch. Relive it here: http://www.nascar.com/video/post-race/final-laps/120401/cup-mar-high-final/index.html

I am shocked at the negative comments from some race fans who felt Bowyer's and/or Newman's final maneuvers ruined the race. Say what?! 

As many times as I've watched the replay, I have to agree with Kyle Petty and Dave Despain, both of which concluded that no one did anything wrong, except perhaps for Reutimann. Put in the same position as either Bowyer or Newman, any other race car driver would have done the same thing. 

I feel positive enough about the ending to the race at Martinsville to make up for any negativity out there. The race was great! It wasn't too long; it wasn't boring; and the end was the best I've seen in a while. 

Ryan Newman and his crew deserved this win. They have fought hard. Congratulations to them. 

NASCAR awards then a long lull til Speed Weeks

Image via Wikipedia

So we are about to enter our second week of the infamous NASCAR Spring Cup Series off-season. This is so painful.

At least we have the awards ceremony to look forward to. I'm writing this just hours before we see our favorite drivers and teams all gussied up in their black tuxedos. DeLana Harvick just tweeted that she isn't a 'glammed' up kinda girl. I can relate to that.

I don't know how many enjoy the awards ceremony, but I certainly do. Reba McIntyre will host it. At least she has the right accent for NASCAR jokes. Some of the others over the years just aren't believable. Reba will be believable.

Trouble is, the show tonight should be just enough to whet the appetites of us aficionados for some on track action. Won't we be disappointed when there is no qualifying or practice tomorrow? Then comes Sunday. No Race Day after CBS Sunday Morning. No Pre-race interviews. No race at all.

I suppose we should be cognizant of the fact that all our favorite drivers are finally getting some rest and relaxation after their long week in Las Vegas and the long season of racing drama.

What a dramatic season it was too, especially toward the end with Brad Kezelowski's secret fine, Kyle Bush's meltdown, Kurt Bush's not-so-secret fine, Rick Hendricks' plane crash, sponsorship changes, not to mention Tony Stewart's incredible chase dominance and kick-ass championship win as well as Champion Crew Chief Darian Grubb's departure from Stewart-Haas Racing.

Las Vegas week had its spectacles too, like Jeff Gordon break-dancing, Ryan Newman blowing up his engine, and the winning teams playing the Newlywed game. Wish I could have been there for those moments.

Since the season ended at Homestead, there has been enough news to satisfy our NASCAR fix. But that will likely halt now. Drivers and teams will move on to their long-awaited vacation plans. They will enjoy themselves without having to worry about speeding on pit road, kowtowing to sponsors, or smiling for cameras. There will likely be what might amount to a NASCAR news blackout.

I suppose we, the devoted fans will simply have to wait, cross off days on the calendar through December, January, and most of February until speed week finally rolls around. Won't that be a happy day? I suppose that since it is the holidays and we do have family obligations to tend to, not to mention all the household chores we didn't do during the season, the time will fly, as it always does. But like vision, it is so much easier in hindsight.

Way to go Tony!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Not only do I appreciate Tony Stewart’s superb driving ability, but there is also something to be said for his strong will. He set out to win NASCAR’s Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. And he pulled it off, darned near, flawlessly. I have a sneaking suspicion that his desire to win the 2011 Sprint Cup Championship might just work for him as well. At least that is my hope.


Tony win was about the only redeeming quality of the race Sunday. It was certainly not action-packed by any means. Passing was difficult. There were few instances of side-by-side racing, few cautions broke up the single file driving, and once again the thrill of the race was trumped by the strategy of the crew rather than abilities of the drivers.

Tony’s winning made it worthwhile, however. His taking the checkered flag in four races during the chase is a spectacular feat, especially with his winless regular season. Talk about peaking at just the right time—oh yeah. Smoke is on it!

Carl Edwards certainly did a yeoman’s job Sunday as well. He almost pulled off the win himself. He managed to stay three points ahead of Stewart in the points race, which is nothing to sneeze at. Suffice it to say that the two of them going at it during the remainder of the 2011 season, with just two races left to go, will be great fun to watch.

Tony’s teammate

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeBeing a diehard Ryan Newman fan, I wasn’t looking forward to this race. The stars have just not been aligned for Newman toward the latter part of this season. His chances for a great run at Texas seemed especially slim after qualifying and practice when Newman’s car failed to clock the speeds necessary to compete in the top ten all day.

Then there was that mysterious vibration that turned out to be a lug nut lodged between the tire and the wheel that caused Newman to have to pit twice under green. At only the 50th lap, he was already two laps down. He struggled all day. Finally getting back onto the lead lap during the nearly caution-free race was nothing short of miraculous. To eek out a 16th place finish under all those circumstances was really
pretty remarkable.

I’m not so sure what has happened to Ryan’s team, however. It seems that during every race there are pit stop problems or bad calls that result in improper balance. I know Newman isn’t happy. I know his fans aren’t happy. Newman is far better than what shows up in the race results.

Phoenix is a good track for him, though. I’m still hoping for a good ending to this season.

Stewart-Haas Racing marked by opposites and irony Sunday at Louden

Image via WikipediaDuring NASCAR’s second Championship race at Louden, New Hampshire, Stewart-Haas Racing drivers were both victorious and defeated, all at the same time.

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 car won the race, his second consecutive win during the Chase for the Championship. Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 who started in the pole position, finished a lap down, in 25th place.

Ironically, Stewart passed leader Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 car, on the last lap when Bowyer ran out of gas. Last year, the roles were reversed.It was Stewart who ran out of gas and watched Bowyer cross the finish line first.

Stewart now holds the top spot in points in NASCAR’s Chase for the Championship. Newman lost four spots in the standings, dropping from 7th to 11th in points. Ouch! It was a devastating day for Newman.

Newman had the best qualifying lap, so he started on the pole. He had great expectations, since he was the most recent Sprint Cup driver to win at Louden, winning the regular season race there in July when he also started from the pole. It is one of his favorite tracks and he always runs well there. And his performance of late has been superb.

It wasn’t meant to be this weekend, however, as it really is all about team work. And the #39 team didn’t deliver.

The first issue was a fluke—when during a pit stop Newman’s air hose got caught up on his splitter, costing precious time to clear it. Then there were other blunders on pit road, such as an issue with a lug nut and a bad call that resulted in his crew chief Tony Gibson’s numerous apologies over the radio. 

Finally, with five laps to go, Newman had to pit to change tires as he felt a problem with his right front tire. It was a devastating day for the #39 team.

As a fan, the whole race was hard to watch, especially since Newman’s car was featured on ESPN’s Race Buddy. A camera was mounted inside his race car, allowing us to feel as though we were riding along with our favorite driver at breakneck speeds. The experience was quite enjoyable during the first 62 laps, while Newman was leading the race.

We look forward to a turn around at Dover next weekend.

Danica Patrick joins NASCAR

Gone are the days of "Gentlemen, start your engines." Those gentlemen will now include a lady, once Danica Patrick is on the scene. Patrick has announced that she will join NASCAR as a full time driver in 2012 in the Nationwide series. She will drive for JR Motorsports, owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Patrick will also spend nearly two dozen races behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup car, driving for Stewart-Haas Racing.

It was bound to happen to the male-dominated sport of stock car racing. It is not that there haven't been successful women participating in the sport in the past, because there have. Women have made their mark in race car driving.

In 1949, Sara Christian, the first woman race car driver, posted a fifth-place finish at Pittsburgh, the best finish by a woman in NASCAR history. Christian ran seven races, with her first competition at Charlotte.

But probably the best known woman race car driver was Janet Guthrie, who ran 33 races between 1976 and 1980. Like Patrick, Guthrie was probably better known for driving Indy cars, but she also made a name for herself at NASCAR. She started in the top ten and posted top-ten finishes in the NASCAR’s Winston Cup, which is now the Sprint Cup Series. She finished sixth at Bristol, Tennessee in ‘77, which remains the best by a woman in the recent NASCAR era.

Guthrie is the only woman to take the lead in a Cup race. She was the Top Rookie in five races in her day. She was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006.

It will be exciting to watch Danica Patrick go the distance with these good ole boys. It might be more fun to watch how they react to it. I believe Patrick is here to stay. She is spunky. She is competitive. And she is qualified. Her presence will undoubtedly beef up the Nationwide Series, which is already, in my opinion, becoming a must watch program.

I’m even more excited to watch her career as a Sprint Cup driver in a Stewart-Haas car. Since I’m a woman, Ryan Newman is my favorite driver, and I happen to have a GoDaddy website (http://www.ozarkattitude.com) this is a tad personal for me. I am really going to enjoy racing in 2012, not that it hasn’t been stellar this year.

With Ryan Newman seventh in points, his racing prowess is becoming obvious to even his staunchest critics. I love saying I told you so to those hard-nose idiots that have long misjudged him. 

Ryan Newman recognized for top performance

Image via Wikipedia

It is so refreshing to see Ryan Newman get the recognition he deserves. 

In a press release yesterday, NASCAR.com announced that Newman and the #39 team won two awards following the race at the Michigan International Speedway Sunday.

The DirectTV Crew Chief of the Race award went to Newman's Crew Chief Tony Gibson, for having the lowest average of qualifying result and race finish. Newman qualified fifth and crossed the checkers in fifth as well.

Newman won the Mobile1 Driver of the Race award, for having the best finish of eligible Mobile 1 drivers.

The release also quoted Newman's second engineer, Wes Gantt. 

Gantt remarked that Newman's engineering background helps the team because he is able to "look at data and interpret it."

In other news, just today, Speedtv.com noted that Ryan Newman has earned more points than any other Sprint Cup driver in the last five races. He has earned 187 points, just ahead of Jeff Gordon, with 186 and Jimmie Johnson with 184.

An article on their website calls Newman, the "hottest driver on the circuit at the moment." They say that fact might surprise a few people.

Consider me not among them. I am surprised when Newman has an off day. I have long considered him to be championship material. He is a hell of a driver, but has a bad relationship with Lady Luck. It is my opinion that once Newman learns to tame her, there will be no stopping the Rocketman.

Newman feels at home at Michigan

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe Michigan International Speedway is special to Ryan Newman, so it is especially good to see him run well there. He certainly did that—grabbing a fifth place starting spot and finishing fifth, with lots of good runs in between.


There is no doubt about it—when your favorite driver has a good day, and especially a good finish, it makes racing really fun to watch. Needless to say I enjoyed this week’s Michigan race. Newman climbed to seventh in points with only three races to go before the Chase for the Championship begins.


It is clear that Newman and his team are giving it everything they’ve got. I can’t quite put my finger on it, or can I recall just when it happened, but early in this season it seems as if something just began to click. The cars seemed to go faster, balance improved, pit stops became competitive again, and the entire team seemed to come together.


Newman has won and lost at Michigan, where he holds the track record. He made it around the two-mile oval in 194.232 seconds during a qualifying lap in 2005.


A respectable fifth place finish can certainly earn Newman bragging rights as well. That is just the way it should be too, since this track is one he considers his home track. His father Greg brought him to the races when he was growing up. It isn’t far from where they lived in South Bend, IN. No doubt Newman dreamed of wheeling his own race car around it.


An avid fisherman, Newman has donated to youth camps and provided scholarships for kids. He never forgot learning to fish there with his grandfather. He’d like other kids to grow up with the same experience.


Perhaps the biggest proof of Newman’s devotion to the Michigan International Speedway, in Brooklyn, MI, is that he and his wife Krissie named their daughter Brooklyn.

Keeping an eye on Justin Allgaier

I am really impressed with Justin Allgaier in NASCAR's Nationwide Series. I believe he will make that series well worth watching for the remainder of this season.  

Allgaier fought a loose race car, but wheeled his 16th place start into a 4th place finish. Allgaier is fourth in the points standings. 

This young man with an impressive resume; complete with results to back it up, is an Illinois native. He caught my eye while he began driving for Penske Racing in 2008. 

Allgaier seemed a natural fit for my liking, since he drove the #12 for Penske, the car formerly driven by my favorite Sprint Cup driver, Ryan Newman. 

Newman drove the #12 Alltel Dodge sponsored by Alltel, until Alltel was taken over by Verizon. Newman left Penske and joined Stewart-Haas Racing. The #12 Alltel Dodge was replaced by the #12 Verizon Dodge, driven by  Allgaier.

Allgaier drove full time in the Nationwide series, which was a first for Penske. 

In the cut-throat business/advertising world however, the writing was on the wall for Verizon, in the series named for Sprint. Alltel was permitted to remain a sponsor because it was established prior to Sprint taking over the series. But, once the name was changed, all bets were off. Apparently there is no room for competition in the world of cellular service, so Verizon pulled its sponsorship. Allgaier, the 2009 Rookie of the year who won his first race at Bristol in March, 2010, was the victim. 

This year, Allgaier is making the most of the situation as he drives for Turner Motor Sports in the #31 car. 

Related articles

• Justin Allgaier prevails in NASCAR Nationwide (theglobeandmail.com)

One-Two Punch for Stewart-Haas Racing

Image via WikipediaRyan Newman took ownership of New Hampshire Motor Speedway at Louden this weekend. First he gained the pole twice--then he chalked up a couple of wins. His qualifying lap even set a new track record. Excellent job, Newman!


The first feat in Newman's double play occurred early Saturday when he won his third Whelen Modified Tour, a NASCAR open-wheeled race. It was Newman's third win in New Hampshire and his fourth straight win overall. 


Newman second feat was on the Sprint Cup side Sunday, as he and the entire #39 team dominated the race, leading the most laps of the day--119 of 301. Earning the pole position, Newman started first and finished first.  


Not only was Newman's performance stellar for the entire 301 laps of the race, but the end was a nail-biter. Crew Chief Tony Gibson reminded him every lap to save fuel. Newman worked the throttle gingerly as he aimed for the finish line. He said on the radio as he crossed the finish line that he thought he may have about a gallon left. Whoops and hollers could be heard from his team over the radio. He picked up both the checkered flag to signify his win and an American flag to honor his U.S. Army sponsor. 


As he carried the American flag, that waved from his window, Newman's smokey burnout came to an abrupt end. He finally ran out of gas. 


This wasn't just a win for Newman and his team. It was a win for Stewart-Haas Racing, as teammate and owner Tony Stewart crossed the finish line directly after his teammate. Stewart was second on the pole and at the end. It was a one-two punch for the racers hungry for that win. 


Newman gained a point in the standings, along with gaining that insurance of one in the win column, which all but ensures his spot in the coveted race for the championship. Newman is now eighth in points in the top 12. 

Ryan Newman's mixed bag at Daytona

Congratulations to Ryan Newman. Not only did he run the fastest lap--199.252 mph--in last night's race, which earned him an award from Goodyear, but he also led the most laps--25, just like he did at the season opener at Daytona. For his efforts, the Rocketman won a $5,800 award from Goodyear.

But that's not all...

I'm sure this honor helped soothe Newman's ire, yet probably not enough to erase the feeling that victory was snatched away from him once again on a restrictor-plate track.

What a roller coaster ride--to be leading the last lap with victory in sight--only to get wrecked--finishing 22nd. 

The tandem team of Newman and Denny Hamlin were in the right position to win--with Newman second and Hamlin fourth. They got a good restart as they were able to work together at the line. But so did David Ragan and Matt Kenseth who took the lead by inches. Newman and Hamlin then got shuffled into the middle of a three-wide pack when Logano and Kasey Kahne took the outside. 

Newman and Hamlin fell back as they were sandwiched alone between the two long-lined, fast-moving drafts. Then, Though it wasn't clear what happened next because cameras were focused on the race lead, according to the replay above it looked like Dale Earnhartdt, Jr., got into Jaimie McMurray who got into Newman, pinning him against the wall, turning him around. Hamlin was able to scramble through the grass, allowing him to finish 13th while Newman had to right his car before charging for the start/finish line.

It was a sad night at Daytona for Newman and those of us who root for him. Thank goodness, Newman was able to maintain his 10-point standing, though with only 9 races left before the Chase for the Championship, it is time for Lady Luck to go on to something or someone else.